now french and malian forces are driving the rebels out of the cities and towns they have conquered, freeing the people who were forced to live under the horror of shari'a law. ephraim graham has the story. >> reporter: dall residents dancing in the streets, celebrating their town's liberation from islamic extremists. but that celebration soon turned to anger, with mali citizens looting islamic police headquarters, and lashing out against any sign of the 10 months of oppression they endured. in that time, islamist rebels amputated the hands of these two men for supporting the malian government. this man says islamic police cut my hand and showed it to the crowd. he says jihadists tortured me for three months before hacking my hand off in front of everyone. a fight against memories of the islamist oppression also played out here, in the streets of a newly liberated timbuktu. crowds attacking shops once owned by rebels. there are also many stories of torture in this town in the last 10 months, like public flogging. she recalls, i wanted to die. it was better to die than to live through